Husband of Singaporean woman dies in fight with drunk man at Phuket hotel

A British national who was on vacation with his Singaporean wife and son in Phuket died on Wednesday following a fight with a Norwegian man at a resort they were staying at.

According to The Phuket News, Amitpal Singh Bajaj, 34, had allegedly confronted 53-year-old Roger Bullman in the latter’s hotel room at about 4am for his rowdy disturbances in the wee hours of the morning.

Amitpal took a steak knife with him when he entered Bullman’s room, which was located next to his. The encounter soon escalated into a fight, during which Amitpal stabbed Bullman in his left shoulder, the report said. In retaliation, Bullman, a trained martial artist, gripped Amitpal in a chokehold until the Briton died.

Prior to the fight, hotel security officers had gone to Bullman’s room twice to tell him to quiet down, according to the report.

However, when that didn’t work, Amitpal decided to take the matter into his own hands and stand up to Bullman, who was apparently drunk the entire night.

Bullman, who was on holiday with his wife, was charged for causing harm resulting in death. Citing police officer Maj Ekkachai Siri, the report added that Bullman did not attempt to kill Amitpal.

The Norwegian was out on bail set at about S$9,000 (US$6,500), the report said.

Later in the day, the Singaporean wife, Bandhna Kaur Bajaj, provided a differing account of what had happened at the resort she revealed to be Centara Grand Hotel in Karon.

According to a statement that was sent to Coconuts Singapore by her representative, it was Bullman who had barged into their hotel room and that there was no stabbing involved. She also said that she had made two phone calls requesting for hotel security, but none had come to help.

“Close to 4am, loud noises and banging started coming from the folding panel balcony door, which separated both rooms,” her statement said. Bullman then barged into their room through this particular door, before charging towards her husband, kicking and punching him, she added.

She managed to run away from the scene with her 2-year-old son, leaving her husband behind, adding that Amitpal was later taken to Patong Hospital after the police and ambulance were eventually called.

It was at the hospital where she learned about her husband’s death, her statement said.

The Phuket News later updated its report to say that Bullman has been charged with manslaughter and trespass by using violence after he admitted to barging into Amitpal’s hotel room.

CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to reflect Singaporean Bandhna Kaur Bajaj’s account of the incident.